Revive to help in hard times

Jenny Chapman, with 7-month-old Hope, is holding a special yoga class on Sunday to fundraise for the Child Cancer Foundation. Photo / Ben Fraser

When childhood cancer struck the Chapman family suddenly in 2013 they could easily have become bitter or victims but instead they made every effort to live positively.

While mum Jenny Chapman says cancer isn't something which she would wish on anyone, she said she believes her family has grown from the experience.

Part of that is thanks to the incredible support of the Child Cancer Foundation which stepped in when daughter Tara was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and has been there to help them out in the two years since their 7-year-old daughter died.

Now, as a way of giving back and keeping the circle of generosity going, Mrs Chapman is holding a special fundraising yoga class in Rotorua on Sunday.

Entry is by donation and all the money raised will go to the foundation.

Mrs Chapman said the yoga fundraiser seemed logical because the foundation paid for her to complete training recently which saw her qualify as a pregnancy and post-natal yoga instructor, and kids' yoga teacher.

Further study was something Mrs Chapman wanted to do, but said the enthusiasm and support of the foundation was "probably the encouragement that I needed to push myself a little bit further".

She said the help the foundation had given the family amounted to "thousands and thousands of dollars worth" and doesn't include the countless practical ways it helped.

The foundation helped to create precious memories for the family in the months Tara was sick, including accessing family grants, a family holiday away and dancing lessons for her two sisters.

It also assisted on a practical level with grocery and petrol vouchers and help communicating with and co-ordinating the medical teams.

Tara Chapman, a month before she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. This photo was taken in April 2013.

When Tara died, the foundation's continued its support and paid for the family to spend time away together and start to process their huge loss.

"We couldn't have afforded it with the cost of a funeral. We need to get away together, as much as we loved the support," Mrs Chapman said, adding it was important as it allowed the family to spend time together.

"We needed to be there as Mum and Dad and show Tara's sisters that it was going to be okay."

The foundation also funded professional grief counselling for Tara's sisters, something Mrs Chapman describes as "hugely valuable".

"They saw therapy as an investment in the future of Tara's siblings. It's such an unimaginable childhood trauma to lose a sibling."

The Beads of Courage the Chapman family treasure are a testament to all the treatments and traumatic procedures Tara endured.

Being physically active had been important to Mrs Chapman throughout Tara's illness and following her death it helped her cope with the stress, along with the amazing support from her husband, family, close friends, school community and her Catholic faith.

"It was keeping a little piece of myself and looking after my own wellness. I think it's really easy to fall into poor eating and letting exercise go but that's the opposite of what you need. Even when it's the worst of times you need to find time for physical, mental and spiritual health."

As Tara became sicker, the Chapman family was donated a special mobility buggy so she could still enjoy the outdoors and Tara's father put the training wheels back on her bike so she could still ride.

Only eight days before she died, they went paddleboating on Lake Rotorua.

"We kept active and we kept living." While it was often difficult to move Tara, Mrs Chapman said the payoff was worth it.

"She would always say thank you, even if it was just a walk down the road. Tara would often say 'cancer is so boring Mum'."

Mrs Chapman said the family relished getting out as much as it could. "It's about realising the world is still happening, it's still beautiful and we are not the only ones in it."

The day Tara died, the family went swimming together, Tara's favourite thing to do. "We had to set the tone that our family would endure. We had to re-establish our forever changed family."

Mrs Chapman said the family was comforted in its grief by Tara's remarkable attitude to her battle with cancer.

She never complained and spoke often about being at peace with going to Jesus, her Mum said.

"It's not that you get over the death of a child, it's that you integrate the massive loss into your life rather than being defined by it."

- Revive for Child Cancer is taking place on Sunday at 6pm at Owhata School Hall on Brent Rd. Entry is by donation and all money raised will go to the Child Cancer Foundation. Details are also on the Revive Holistic Fitness Facebook page.